As parents, we all want our child to succeed and develop social and academic skills so that they can be productive members of society. BUT what if we took a moment to appreciate where they are at this moment?
Enjoying your child
So often, we as parents, are bogged down by responsibilities and expectations: we have responsibilities and deadlines at work, responsibilities in the home to keep every day life going, responsibilities to our friends and families, and expectations that we do all of these things well! These pressures some times make it difficult for us to step away and enjoy the present moment. This is particularly important to do with our children. Whether our child is typically developing, neurodiverse, or developmentally delayed, enjoying their stage in life is so important!
Child-Directed Play
How can we stop the hustle and bustle of life to enjoy our children? Give child-directed play a shot! This is when you play with your child one-on-one with no outside distractions (e.g., put your phone away, turn off the TV, etc.). Let your child tell you how they want to play. If your child is non-verbal follow them and attempt to engage them based on the activities they are interested in playing. While you are playing with them describe what your child is doing, expand what they are saying (e.g., if your child says, "red apple," you can say, "Yes! That is a red apple and it looks yummy! MmmMmm!"). Practice child-directed play 1-3 times a week for about 15 minutes. If you are new to child-directed play, start out at 10 minutes 1 time per week. Make sure it's COMPLETELY child-led and you aren't giving any directions (unless the activities are unsafe). Check out Seattle Chidlren's Hospital for more information on Child-Directed Play at https://www.seattlechildrens.org/health-safety/keeping-kids-healthy/development/child-directed-play/
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